HILLSDALE — With pieces approaching a wide range of Greek myth and history, the Hillsdale College Tower Dancers continued the theater’s Greek-themed season this past weekend with their spring concert.

The 10th annual concert played on the Markel Auditorium stage in the Sage Center for the Performing Arts to a full audience Saturday night. Additional performances were held Friday and again on Sunday for a matinee performance.

The concert featured seven pieces choreographed by faculty and students. In the first piece, “Furies and Blessed Spirits,” choreographer Corinne Imberski explored excerpts from the opera “Orfeo ed Eurydice,” by Gluck. The piece showcased the dynamic differences between the Greek mythological Furies, the spirits of justice, and the blessed spirits, blissful souls residing in the Elysian fields.

The next piece, “The Road to Elysium,” choreographed by student Lizzie Hamilton, took the audience through the many faces of the Greek war goddess Athena. The tale of the Queen of the Underworld followed in “Persephone,” where dancers performed the choreography of faculty member Holly Hobbs, with music by Igor Stravinsky.

Imberski’s choreography was seen again in the next piece, entitled “a glimpse, a glance,” with music from Philip Glass’ “Orphee Suite for Piano.” This duet is loosely based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, in which Orpheus journeys to the underworld to save his love.

The next two pieces were also student-choreographed. Marianna Ernst explored the difference between joy and ecstasy in her piece focusing on the worship of the Greek god Dionysius.

Dan Thelen took the audience back to the ancient Olympics in an athletic homage to the Greek games and the sculptures that portrayed them, drawing cheers from the audience.

The concert finale again featured Imberski’s choreography in “The Odyssey (Penelope’s Story),” with music by Hilary Hahn and Hauschka. Her piece envisioned the story of Penelope, the wife of the famed hero Odysseus, as she awaits the return of her husband from the Trojan War.

Dancer Stephan Godleski, who also serves as publicity manager for the theater department, said the dancers in the concert ranged from varying levels of age and experience.

Imberski, director of the Tower Dancers, said when working with dancers of different experience and backgrounds, she tries to bring out the strengths in each.

“Everyone has unique qualities which I try to highlight,” Imberski said.

She has noticed how the Tower Players have evolved.

Page 2 of 2 - “Over the years, the dancers here have become more technically proficient,” she said. “The group has doubled in size. They’ve become more dedicated to the craft. All in all, the group has really grown over the years.”

Students came dressed in their finest to see the performance. Perhaps one of the youngest in the audience was 10 year-old Daisy Gordan, who came to see her former ballet teacher perform.

“I saw the performance last night, too,” Daisy said, admitting she aspired to become a Tower Dancer some day.

Brittany Baldwin, who graduated from Hillsdale College last year and is now employed by the college, said she attended the performance to see several of her friends dance.

“I liked the Greek theme and it’s has gone well with all the productions, as it’s been the theme for the whole year,” Baldwin said.